Drying apparatus



April 20, 1943. Q A VlssAC 2,317,003

DRYING APPARATUS Filed sept. 18, 1941 2 sheeis-sheet 1 INVENTOR Gusave Andre V/'ssac L... am

ATTO R N EY April 20, 1943. G A VlssAC 317,003

DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v INVENTOR Gusfa veA/7dr@ l//ssac BY@ im ATTO R N EY Patented Apr. 20, 1943 DRYING APPARATUS Gustave Andre Vissac, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application September 18, 1941, Serial No. 411,414

(Cl. 34-172l 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vertical drying apparatus.

An object of the present invention is the provision of apparatus for drying granular materials, such as coal, phosphates, salts, sand or the like.

Another object is the provision of vertical drying apparatus including means for preventing the material to be dried therein from sticking or clogging in the apparatus.

Another object is the provision of vertical drying apparatus which is automatic in its operation.

A further object is the provision of a vertical dryer which may readily be adjusted to handle different types of material.

A still further object is the provision of apparatus of the type described adapted to prevent moist granular material from forming relatively large lumps and also to prevent any accumulation of the material from dropping directly downwardly therein.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists essentially of drying apparatus comprising a vertical casing, means for supplying wet granular material to the top of the casing, material supplied to the casing being adapted to cascade downwardly over the baffles, inclined bailles pivotally supported by the wall of the casing, the free end of each baille being located over the next lower baille, means for directing hot air upwardly around the baffles in the casing and means for removing dried material from the bottom of the casing, as more fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the drying apparatus.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of said drying apparatus,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the mounting of one of the bailles.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I is a vertical casing, preferably tall and rectangular in cross section. Wet granular material may be supplied to the top of this casing in any suitable manner, such as by means of a chute I I communicating with said casing adjacent the top thereof and extending from a hopper I2 which preferably has a feeder I3 at its discharge outlet.

A plurality of inclined baffles I4 are pivotally supported by the wall of the casing I0 with the free end of each baille located over the next lower baille. These bailles are usually supported by different sides, and preferably opposed sides, of the casing so that each baille is staggered in relation to and preferably is of such length that it overlaps each adjacent baille of the other side.

The casing I0 is preferably formed with a tapered bottom I 5 having a central outlet I6 therelil in and, if desired, a suitable feeder I1 may be*` located at the discharge outlet I6.

Hot air or gases from any suitable source (not shown) are supplied to the casing l0 adjacent the bottom thereof by a pipe I8 while said air or gas, after pushing upwardly around the bailles I4 in the casing, is removed from the top thereof through a pipe 20.

The feeders I3 and I1 are well known in the art and they consist of star wheels which are rotated in any suitable manner, such as by a motor 2I connected by belts or chains 22 and 23 to pulleys or sprockets 24 and 25 mounted on the shafts of the wheels I3 and I1, respectively.

As each baille I4 is mounted in the same manner, only one will be described in detail. The baille is pivotally mounted in such a manner that it is normally retained at a desired angle but when sufficient pressure is applied to its upper surface it is capable of swinging downwardly in accordance with the pressure and within certain limits. A very simple method of accomplishing this is to mount the baille on a shaft 26 journalled in the walls of the casing I0 adjacent one side thereof. This shaft projects outwardly beyond one wall of the casing and a lever 21 is xedly mounted thereon approximately midway between its ends. 'I'his lever normally lies in a substantially horizontal plane, at which time the baille is lying at the desired angle.

Suitable means is provided for adjustably limiting the upward movement of the inner end 28 of the lever 21, such as a cable 30 extending downwardly from said end to a turnbuckle 3l, which, in turn, is anchored to the side of the casing I0, at 32. Suitable means is provided for normally urging the baille into its uppermost position within the limits of the cable 30. 'I'his means is preferably a weight 33 slidably mounted on the outer end 34 of the lever 21, which may be removably secured thereon in any adjusted position by a set screw 35.

Suitable means is provided for adjustably limiting the lowermost position to which the baille may pivot. In the illustrated example, a set screw 36 is threaded in a bracket 31 mounted on the casing III in line with and above the outer end 34 of the lever 21. The lower end of this set screw is normally spaced above said outer end and when the baille pivots downwardly a predetermined distance, the lever strikes the set screw to prevent any further downward movement.

If desired, the outer end of the pipe 20 may be connected to a dust collector 38 of any known construction, which is connected by a pipe to a suction fan 4I. This fan may be connected by a belt and pulleys to the motor 2 I.

In operation, the wet granular material is directed into the upper end of the casing I0 by the chute II. This 'material drops on to the upper baiile i4 and cascades over it and the remaining baflles to the bottom of the casing, whence it passes out through the discharge outlet i6.. Hot air is directed into the lower end of the casing by the pipe l 8. This air moves upwardly around the bailies through the descending material and out through the pipe 20. The suction fan draws this air through the dust collector 38 which removes any fine dust therefrom.

When any material is very damp or sticiiyand tends to accumulate on a baiile, its weight soon causes the baille to tip downwardly `at a steeper angle than its usual setting until the material spills od. As the ballles overlap each other, this material drops on to the .next .lower baille vinstead of dropping to the bottom Yoi the casing I0. In this way, the movement. of .the .accumulated material is retarded sufficiently .to cause it .to .be dried before leaving the casing. .Furthermore, the `accumulated.materialis'brolien up as it strikes the variousbailies.

The normal setting of a baille Mis adjusted by lengthening orshortening the cableiSU bymeans of the turnbucklell, .while .the .steepest angle to which the baille may pivot isadjusted'by raising or lowering the set screw .36. This set screw has a further purpose. When some .of the material accumulates on v,the baille, it pivots to a steeper angle and causes ythe outer end of the lever 221 sharply to strike the set screw. This tends to jar the .material Von the baille, loosen, `and to break it up. The weight VBtis adjusted on the outer end '3,4 of theflever to regulate the weight of Amaterial .which may gather on the baille before Vit beginslits downward movement and the rate of this movement jin accordance with the weight of thematerial.

The .angle .of eachbafile, the Ylimit .of its downward movementand the weight ofV material necessary to cause such .movement may be readily regulated to .suit the condition and type of material-to be dried. Once .the `apparatus is set, it is completely automatic andthe ballles prevent any clogging or undue accumulation .of material therein while, at the same time, preventing any small accumulation 'from .dropping directly to the bottom thereof without being adequately dried.

Various modcations maybe madein this invention without departing from the spirit thereof ,or .the-scope ofthe claims, and therefore the exact forms .shown are to be taken Yas illustrative only and notin a limiting sense, and itis desired that only such Alimitations shall be placed thereon as are Adisclosed inthe prior art orare set forth in the accompanying claims.

What .I Vclaim :as myzinvention is Vl. Drying .apparatus 'comprising Aa vertical oasing, inclined bail'les pivotally supported adjacent their .upper iends at opposed sides of the casing with the 4free lower .end or" each baille overlapping eachadjacent .bams atthe opposite sid-e, means for .resilientlyretaining veach baille at a predetermined angle; `each baille including :a shaft journalled in the ,sides :of the casing, one endfof said shaft projecting beyond the casing wall, a lever ilxedly mounted onsaid shaft end approximately midway between AVits ends-oneend of said lever lying substantially along side the baille, means for limiting the upward movement of .said end of the lever, and means for limiting the upward movement of the opposite end of the lever; means for supplying wet granular materialto the top of the casing, material supplied to the casing being adapted to cascade downwardly over the bales, means for directing hot air upwardly around the baiiles in the casing, and means for removing dried material from the bottom of the casing.

2. Drying apparatus comprising a vertical casing, incline-d baffles pivotally supported adjacent their upper ends at opposed sides of the casing with the free lower end of each baille overlapping each adjacent baille at the opposite side, means for resiliently retaining each baille at a predetermined angle; each baille including a shaft journalled in the sides of the casing, one end of said shaft projecting beyond the casing wall, a lever iixedly mounted on said shaft end approximately midway between its ends, one end of said lever lying substantially along side the baille, means for limiting the upward movement of said end of the lever, and a weight mounted on the opposite end of said lever; means for supplying wet granular material to the top of the casing, material supplied to the Vcasing being adapted to cascade downwardly over the baffles, means for directing hot .air upwardly around the ballles in the casing, and means .for removing dried material from the bottom oi the casing.

3. Drying apparatus comprising a vertical casing, inclined baiiles pivotally supported adjacent their upper ends at opposed sides of the casing with the free lower end of each baffle overlapping each adjacent baffle at the opposite side, means for resilient-ly retaining each baille at a predetermined angle; each baille including a sha-.Ft journalled in the sides of the casing, one end of said shaft projecting beyond the casing wall, a lever iixedly mounted onsaid shaft end approximately Amidway between its ends, Aone end of `said lever lying substantially Yalong side the b'afe, means for limiting the upward movement of lsaid end of the lever, means for limitingtheupward movement of the opposite end of the lever, and a weight slidably `mounted on said opposite end; means for supplyingr wet granular material to the top of the casing, material supplied to the casing being adapted to cascade downwardly over the bales, means for directing hot air upwardly around the baiiles in the casing, and means for removing dried material from the bottom of the casing.

4. Drying apparatus comprising a vertical casing, inclined baffles pivotally supported adjacent their upper ends at opposed sides of the casing with the free lower end of each baille overlapping each adjacent baille at the opposite side, means for resiliently retaining each baille at a predetermined angle; each baflle'including a shaft journalled `in the sides of the casing, one end 'of said shaft projecting beyond the casing wall, a lever Xedly mounted on said shaft end approximately midway between its ends, one end of said lever lying substantially `along side the baille, means for adjustably limiting the upward movement of said .end of the lever, means for adjustably limiting the upward movement of the opposite end of the lever, and a weight adjustably mounted .on said opposite end; means for supplying wet granular material to the top of the casing, material supplied to the casing being adapted to cascade downwardly over the bailles, means for directing hot air upwardly around the baliles in the casing, and means for removing dried material from the bottom of the casing.

GUSTAVE ANDRE VISSAC. 

